Genealogy Chat

Hello All Thanks for the help so far. I will check the websites when I get in from work tonight. Her full name was Mary Ann Dreaneen (nee Grayson). She was born in York, England on 17/4/1884 and moved to New Zealand in 1911, travelling from London to Wellington on 20 Oct 1911 on the Tongariro. Apparently she worked on a sheep farm when she arrived for the Harding family and married John Dreaneen on 28/4/1915 at St Marys Church of England in Waipukurau. Her Dad (John Thomas Henry Dreaneen) was a coal merchant in Napier and he died in 1933. They had five children and it was their daughter Rose who contacted my family back in 1989. Her husband Digger was the one who was researching and before he passed away on Christmas Eve 2006, he posted me Mary Ann's birth and marriage certs. On the photocopy of his research that Digger sent me Mary Ann's date of death was 2 Oct but the year isn't clear. It looks like 1993 but that would make her 109. Thanks for all your help Dawn

Hello Ken from Hunua. I live about 10 km away! I was going to look for the death next time I am in Papakura if I have time. DAWN, I have just realised you have not given the name. If you give it to me in full, I could possibly look on electoral rolls next time I am in our Genealogy group rooms in Papakura. They have them for several years. If she or her husband (name please) worked then occupation might help. And of course if you know the area or town/city it would help.

Hi Bro's, I've found her husband's death 1933 in Waipuk. I've PM'd Dawn to see if she remarried. I'm away for a holiday but will check the microfiche in the library (unless someone beats me to it) when I return. Now that's a challenge! Bernie

Hi Dawn Do you know where she lived or died? ie the city/town/settlement? If so maybe some one who lives nearby may be able to help. The Auckland City Library has a good genealogy section which you may be able to search. Also the NZ Herald newspaper based in Auckland may be able to help with death notice. Ken

Hi Dawn Have a look on http://archway.archives.govt.nz/CallSimpleSearch.do It leads to the government archives. See if you can find a probate for her will which will give you a year of death - you may then be able to get the death cert whivch will be a mine of information. You will then need to find someone in the city where the will is archived to go and read/transcribe it for you Best of luck Peter

Please could some kind people nudge this post for me so that anyone in New Zealand may see it at a more reasonable hour for them. Thank you Dawn

For months I have been trying to find my Grandads aunt moving to New Zealand. I knew it was between 1911 and 1915 when she married. Luckily before he passed away her son-in-law sent me a copy of her marriage cert (although I can hardly read the handwriting!!) Thanks to the findmypast website I have found her on a passenger list sailing from London to Wellington on the Tongariro, on 20th Oct 1911. I am hoping that I might be able to fill in some gaps and learn a little about the journey and her life in New Zealand. Also I want to be able to confirm when she actually died. I have the date of 2 Oct 1993, however that would have made her 109 years old, so I think the year might be wrong. Can anyone advise me where to go from here, or be able to do a New Zealand look up for me. Many Thanks Dawn